Generation Z, born between the mid 1990s and early 2010s, is coming of age during a time of changing attitudes towards cannabis use. Over the past decade, 24 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws that legalize and regulate recreational cannabis use among adults. The stigma around cannabis is disappearing also, with 43% of members of Generation Z reporting that they had used marijuana in the past 12 months. The pandemic, with all of its associated stress, has contributed to this trend.
The fight around cannabis use is a policy nightmare, one that America has already dealt with before. Reminiscent of alcohol prohibition, restrictive cannabis laws don’t end consumption of the drug, but just make it more dangerous. In the prohibition era, 1,000 Americans died every year from the effects of drinking tainted black market liquor. Today, there is growing concern about the use of synthetic weed and increasing reports of weed laced with fentanyl in states where recreational use remains illegal.
Historically, differences in alcohol policy by state have also been a major public health concern. In the 1970s, the legal drinking age varied from state to state, with some states allowing alcohol consumption as young as 18. This disparity created a boatload of problems as young adults would frequently travel across state borders to bars where they could legally purchase alcohol. This led to an increase in drunk driving and drunk driving related deaths. The Reagan administration responded by passing the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1983 which withheld federal funding for highways unless states changed their drinking age to 21. Now, young people are traveling out of state to purchase legal cannabis and risk legal consequences by taking them across state borders (federal law still classified marijuana as an illegal substance).
For those who don’t want to break the law, synthetic weed is an easy alternative. Synthetic weed contains chemically synthesized cannabinoids produced from cannabis or hemp plants. Access to synthetic weed is easy, even in states where recreational marijuana use remains illegal. Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC products are regularly sold at vape shops and gas stations across the United States. Anyone with twenty dollars and an ID (if they check), has their choice of disposable pens, gummies, chocolate, lollipops, and even beverages that will produce a similar high as natural marijuana.
In most states, THC products are largely unregulated. Medical professionals warn that the increased potency of these synthetic products may be more dangerous than consuming marijuana and increase the likelihood of addiction. For those who smoke the marijuana plant, dosage is relatively consistent with the amount of dried flower consumed. The same cannot be said for synthetic delta based products; edibles the size of a single gummy are frequently available in dosages up to 200 mg.
Additionally, mislabeling is a major issue with these products. One study found that THC products frequently contained much higher doses than were labeled on their packaging, sometimes as high as ten times greater. Lack of federal regulation means that there is no quality assurance or back end testing; this creates a significant issue for consumer safety. Mislabeled products can lead to individuals accidentally ingesting a much higher dose than intended, or dangerously overestimating their own tolerance.
For Gen Z, this popularity of THC infused products comes at a time in their lives where their brains are still developing. Federal laws make mass studies and research on weed, THC, and other related products more difficult. Existing research suggests that marijuana usage may affect cognitive functions like attention, memory, and learning in developing brains. The risks for THC products are likely higher because of the greatly increased concentrations.
What the United States needs is consistency and regulation. Marijuana is not going away any time soon. Humans have been smoking marijuana since at least 2500 B.C. and will likely continue to do so. The benefits of legalization are abundant. Dispensaries have widely proved to be great for the economy. Additionally, legalization will allow for federal oversight in the production of currently unregulated THC products. Legalization could also enable regulations in dosage and packaging of marijuana and THC products – which frequently mimic popular products and lead to accidental ingestion by children. America has dealt with similar policy problems before, with alcohol in the 20th century, and learned that the only way to ensure safety is to allow for regulation. It’s time to learn from our past mistakes and take a step forward on cannabis to make it safer for everyone in society.
